Community climate action hubs theory of change

Climate Action Hubs - Overarching programme theory of change

The diagram provides an overview of activities undertaken by the climate action hubs, a list of individual hub outcomes and how these relate to the six network level outcomes. These contribute to the vision for the programme. The underlying assumptions are also listed. Specific outputs resulting from the detailed activity are set out in the individual outcome level ToCs.

Activities

The Activities diagram illustrates the core types of work undertaken by the climate action hubs to initiate change:

• Training / support offers to community groups and members
• Funding delivered to community groups
• Hub participation in regional, local and national policy forums and governance
• Support for community involvement in policy forums and local planning
• Partnership working with multiple groups and stakeholders, including those representing underrepresented groups
• Marketing and engagement activities, including inclusive and accessible engagement approaches
• Cross-hub working, networking and events
• Hub level monitoring and evaluation
• Hub participation in community events
• Hub membership and participation in wider community and stakeholder networks and groups
• Hubs submit funding applications for additional funds

The outcomes for individual hubs are grouped across themes and link to the 6 hub network outcomes.

The hub network outcomes are:

• Community-level action across Scotland contributes to building Scotland's climate resilience
• Community-level action across Scotland contributes to reducing Scottish GHG emissions
• Communities are shaping policy that promotes adaptation to and mitigation of climate change
• Community-level climate action is equitable and inclusive
• Hubs bring people and organisations acting on climate change together across Scotland, to strengthen the collective voice and take action towards a shared vision
• Local innovations have the potential to be scaled-up or replicated to provide more widespread climate benefits

The individual hub outcomes are as follows:

1. Communities have the capability to act on climate change

2. Communities have the motivation to act on climate change

3. Communities have the opportunity to act on climate change

These lead to:

• Communities are taking action to mitigate or adapt to climate change

These link to hub network outcomes 1 and 2.

4. Community members and community groups are empowered and resourced to be directly involved in and influence policy and decision making

5. Hubs are effectively communicating community interests in local, regional and national policy making spaces

These lead to:

• Community members and groups are directly influencing local, regional and national policy making for adaptation and mitigation
• Community members and community groups are directly participating in policy making for adaptation and mitigation
• Hubs are influencing local, regional and national policy making for adaptation and mitigation

These link to hub network outcome 3.

6. Everyone in Hub communities has equal opportunity to be involved in climate action and have their views represented, in ways that are accessible to them

These lead to:

• A diverse group of people who live in communities around Hubs are involved in Hub activities

These link to hub network outcome 4.

7. Hubs successfully collaborate with each other to achieve shared aims

8. Hubs share best practice and lessons learned with each other

9. Hubs are well connected to their communities, including to other local stakeholder groups

These lead to:

• Hubs foster and facilitate collaboration and learning on climate action from local to national

These link to hub network outcome 5.

10. Hubs create a shareable repository of evidence on what works (and what doesn’t)

These lead to:

• Hubs secure additional funds to extend or expand successful projects

• Community climate action can continue without ongoing resource demand on Hubs

These link to hub network outcome 6.  

Vision

A network of climate action Hubs will provide a vehicle for communities to come together and engage in collective climate action, supporting the just transition to net zero and climate resilient living, and driving wider change.

The underlying assumptions are:

• Hubs and the projects they deliver and support, are shaped and led by community needs
• Hubs use place-based principles in their development and delivery
• Climate action is developed using just transition principles
• Communities are willing and able to participate in Hub activities
• Hubs can access the necessary resources (budget and staff) to implement their proposed activities
• Hubs have effective governance in place to support their delivery

Outcomes 1 & 2: Community level adaption and mitigation action

Theory of change diagram for outcomes 1 and 2: Community level adaptation and mitigation action

The flowchart shows how the activities, outputs and individual hub outcomes contribute to the hub network outcomes 1 and 2.
This is a thematic subset of the main theory of change (page 7), so it reuses identical wording for the outcome boxes.

Activities

• Climate literacy training / materials / support / events, outreach and resources
• Training / support for community groups on funding applications
• Administration of funding to community members / groups for climate action

Outputs from the climate literacy pathway

• Training materials, resources and comms materials produced
• Participation in / uptake of climate literacy training, learning opportunities, events and outreach
• Improved understanding of climate change within community
• Increased concern about climate change within the community

These lead to the following outcome

• Communities have the capability to act on climate change

Outputs from the funding training pathway

1. Participation in / uptake of funding training and learning by community groups

2. Successful funding applications

3. More funding available for climate action

These lead to the following outcome

• Communities have the motivation to act on climate change

Outputs from the funding distribution pathway

1. Grants issued to community groups / Hub members

2. More funding available for climate action

These lead to the following outcome

• Communities have the opportunity to act on climate change

Combined outcome

• Communities are taking action to mitigate or adapt to climate change

The Hub Network Outcomes are:

• Community-level action across Scotland contributes to building Scotland’s climate resilience
• Community-level action across Scotland contributes to reducing Scottish greenhouse gas emissions

Outcome 3: Influencing and shaping policy

Theory of change diagram for outcome 3: Influencing and shaping policy

The flowchart shows how the activities, outputs and individual hub outcomes contribute to the hub network outcome 3. 
This is a thematic subset of the main theory of change (page 7), so it reuses identical wording for the outcome boxes.

Activities

1. Hubs supporting community groups and community members to participate in national policy making opportunities

2. Hubs providing opportunities for community members to participate in local planning and governance

3. Hubs actively participating in community level governance groups

4. Hubs actively participating in regional policy forums and engaging with local authorities

5. Hubs actively participating in national policy forums

Outputs

• Increased awareness and understanding of how to influence policy and decision making within community

1. Increased opportunities for community members to be involved in policy and decision making within communities

2. Hubs are directly participating in local, regional and national policy making for adaptation and mitigation

Outcomes

1. Community members and community groups are empowered and resourced to be directly involved in and influence policy and decision making

2. Community members and community groups are directly participating in policy making for adaptation and mitigation

3. Community members and groups are directly influencing local, regional and national policy making for adaptation and mitigation

• Hubs are effectively communicating community interests in local, regional and national policy making spaces
• Hubs are influencing local, regional and national policy making for adaptation and mitigation

Hub Network Outcome

• Communities are shaping policy that promotes adaptation to and mitigation of climate change

Pathways:

• Activity 1 leads to output 1 and outcomes 1-3
• Activity 2 leads to output 2 and outcomes 1-3
• Activities 3-5 lead to output 3 and outcomes 4-5

All individual hub outcomes lead to the hub network outcome.

Outcome 4: Inclusion, equality and diversity

Theory of change diagram for outcomes 4: Inclusion, equality and diversity

The flowchart shows how the activities, outputs and individual hub outcomes contribute to the hub network outcome 4. 
This is a thematic subset of the main theory of change (page 7), so it reuses identical wording for the outcome boxes.

Activities

1. Hubs develop partnerships with third sector and other community groups that are actively working with underrepresented members of the community in Hub area

2. Hubs deliver events and activities designed for and delivered in underrepresented communities in the Hub area

3. Hubs develop resources and engagement/marketing tools in multiple, accessible formats, according to the needs of their communities

4. Hubs provide training and support for community groups on delivering inclusive public engagement, communications and marketing

Outputs

1. Increased number of partnerships with third sector and other community groups that are actively working with underrepresented members of the community in Hub area

2. Hub events and other activities are accessible to a greater number of underrepresented community members in the Hub area

3. Hub resources and engagement/marketing tools are available in multiple, accessible formats (e.g. different languages, paper/digital/audio formats etc) that are tailored to the specific needs of their communities

4. Hub-supported community groups provide resources that are better tailored to the specific needs of their communities

5. Hub-supported community groups deliver activities that are more accessible to underrepresented members of their community

6. Hubs actively engage an increased number and a more diverse range of people across the Hub area

Individual Hub Outcomes

1. Everyone in Hub communities has equal opportunity to be involved in climate action and have their views represented, in ways that are accessible to them

2. A diverse group of people who live in communities around Hubs are involved in Hub activities

Hub Network Outcome

• Community-level climate action is equitable and inclusive

Pathways:

• Activity 1 leads to output 1
• Activity 2 leads to output 2
• Activity 3 leads to output 3
• Activity 4 leads to outputs 4 and 5.
• Outputs 1-5 all lead to output 6

Output 6 leads to the individual hub outcomes and the hub network outcome.

Outcome 5: Collective voice, vision and action

Theory of change diagram for outcomes 5: Collective voice, vision and action

The flowchart shows how the activities, outputs and individual hub outcomes contribute to the hub network outcome 5. 
This is a thematic subset of the main theory of change (page 7), so it reuses identical wording for the outcome boxes.

Activities

1. Hubs work together to deliver shared projects / events

2. Hubs undertake high-quality and consistent monitoring and evaluation at hub-level

3. Hubs use a variety of engagement techniques (e.g. in person, online, local gazettes) to reach a wide range of groups

4. Hubs work together with other local community groups, local govt and networks (e.g. delivering events, training jointly)

5. Hubs participate in community events

6. Hubs are members of relevant local and regional group meetings

Outputs

1. Hubs deliver joint projects / events

2. Hubs identify best practice and lessons learned

3. Hubs successfully engage a wide range of local groups in Hub activities, events and projects

4. Hubs build and strengthen partnerships with local stakeholders with shared aims

5. Hubs make a meaningful contribution to, and help develop, local networks, meetings and events

Individual Hub Outcomes

1. Hubs successfully collaborate with each other to achieve shared aims

2. Hubs share best practice and lessons learned with each other

3. Hubs are well connected to their communities, including to other local stakeholder groups

4. Hubs foster and facilitate collaboration on climate action and learning on climate action from local to national

Hub Network Outcome

• Hubs bring people and organisations acting on climate change together across Scotland, to strengthen the collective voice and take action towards a shared vision

Pathways:

• Activity 1 leads to output 1 and outcome 1
• Activity 2 leads to output 2 and outcome 2
• Activity 3 leads to output 3
• Activity 4 leads to output 4
• Activities 5 and 6 lead to output 5
• Outputs 3-5 lead to outcome 3
• Outcomes 1-3 lead to outcome 4

Outcome 4 leads to the hub network outcome

Outcome 6: Scaling up action and economic sustainability

Theory of change diagram for outcomes 6: Outcome 6: Scaling up action and economic sustainability

The flowchart shows how the activities, outputs and individual hub outcomes contribute to the hub network outcome 6. 
This is a thematic subset of the main theory of change (page 7), so it reuses identical wording for the outcome boxes.

Activities

1. Hubs undertake high quality and consistent monitoring and evaluation at hub- and network-level

2. Hubs submit relevant, high-quality funding applications, including bids with other hubs and with partner organisations

3. Hubs develop climate resources and tools for others to use

Outputs

• Hubs gather tangible evidence of the value and impact of their activities
• Hubs make increasingly evidence-based funding applications and bids
• Hubs are successful in additional funding applications
• Tools and resources are available for communities to use themselves to take forward climate action

Individual Hub Outcomes

• Hubs create a shareable repository of evidence on what works (and what doesn't)
• Hubs secure additional funds to extend or expand successful projects
• Community climate action can continue without ongoing resource demand on Hubs

Hub Network Outcome

• Local innovations have the potential to be scaled-up or replicated to provide more widespread climate benefits

Pathways:

• Activity 1 leads to output 1 and 2
• Activity 2 leads to output 3
• Activity 3 leads to output 4
• Activity 4 leads to output 4
• Output 1 leads to outcome 1
• Outputs 2 and 3 lead to outcome 2
• Output 4 leads to outcome 3
• All outcomes lead to the hub network outcome